There’s a lot going on at Donnybrook, as Leinster prepare for the new season.

First, a new Rugby Development Officer has been named. Everyone at Leinster Rugby is delighted at the appointment of David McAllister.

The former Leinster and Ireland Under-21 out-half will be responsible for the North Midlands area. Hopes are high that his experience will help him unearth some exciting new talent.

But that’s not all. You can now sport the colours of your favourite team, as the new home jersey for the 2007/08 season is now available at the Leinster Rugby Store. Short sleeved jerseys are only €77, with long sleeved shirts costing €80.

The 2007/08 season looks to be a very exciting one for Leinster. Season ticket applications have almost doubled since last year. Priced at just €199, a new batch of Bronze season tickets has been released after the initial tickets were snapped up within weeks. Make sure you get yours quickly to avoid disappointment.

For devoted Leinster fans who can’t make it to all the home games, Leinster Supporters Memberships are available for next season.

Exile packages (€50) are designed for those Leinster fans all across the globe. The kids can join the Leinster Cubs for just €30.

Kilkenny Tourist Hostel is a cost effective way of spending a fabulous time in County Kilkenny. The hostel is located in the centre of downtown Kilkenny and is medium in size. The building of the hostel is a townhouse almost 260 years old with Georgian architecture that is mostly still remarkably intact. The hostel provides the city’s best budget accommodation without compromising on quality or service. The hostel provides valuable information to tourists on its notice boards like where to experience the best traditional music, how to get a free tour of Kilkenny Brewery and where to go if you are interested in watching a hurling match. A fully equipped kitchen is provided for the guests so they can cook their favourite meals. Linen is included in the price. Luggage storage and laundry facilities are provided. A comfortable sitting room with a burning fire is a nice place to mingle with the other guests. This is the only hostel in the city to be approved by the Irish Tourist Board and is a member of the Independent Holiday Hostels group.

The eighth and final section of the South Leinster Way is comprised of the route starting from Piltown and ending at Carrick-on-Suir. The route is quite easy for walkers of all abilities and is located in the eastern region of the province of Leinster in County Kilkenny. This part of the walking route is considerably shorter at just about eight kilometres. There is very little climbing involved on this route. Due to all these reasons, this route can be covered in a pretty short period of time amounting to only about two and a half hours. The traffic on this road can be quite fast. Also the road might be too narrow for the walkers so care should be taken to avoid any unfortunate mishaps or incidents. The area surrounding this walking trail is composed mainly of farmland. Walkers have the choice of climbing the wooded hill of Curraghballintea on this route. Dowleys Castle along Tibbaraghney road is a great place to spend some time exploring. Tibberaghny Castle is a towerhouse that is also worth visiting on this walking path. There’s lots to see in the heritage town of Carrick-on-Suir, especially historic stuff since this town dates back to the 13th century.

The seventh section of the South Leinster Way stretches from Mullinavat to Piltown. This part of the walking route is located in the eastern region of Leinster in County Kilkenny. The route is pretty easy and shouldn’t present walkers with any difficulties. A distance of fourteen kilometres has to be covered by the walkers to reach the end of this section of the walking route. The highest point on this walking trail is about two hundred metres. Walking at an average pace, most walkers won’t take more than five hours to finish this route. The landscape surrounding this walking path consists of mostly farmland and coniferous plantations. There are elevated sections on this route that prove to be a great vantage point for exploring the beauty of County Waterford and County Tipperary from afar. The scenic views of the Suir Valley can be enjoyed from the southern parts of the Booley Hills. The Poulanassy Waterfall at Clonassy is worthy of a visit for its pristine splendour.

The walk from Ballykenna to Mullinavat represents the sixth section of the South Leinster Way. This walking route is pretty easy and shouldn’t be too difficult to handle for most walkers. This walking path is located in County Kilkenny. Walkers will get to walk over a distance of fourteen kilometres on this walking trail. Two hundred and thirty metres is the height of the highest point on this trail. Average walkers should easily complete this route in about four and a half hours. The road is pretty much desolate and peaceful. However, care will be needed in crossing the road at Lukeswell and N9 near Mullinavat. Walkers will have to cross the river at Ballyconnaught and Lukeswell village. Coolnahan Hill and the Derrylacky area consist of coniferous forest. The views available here and at Tory Hill are quite splendid. Explorers will have a nice time checking out Crowbally Castle ruins located on this walking route.